Born in the West Indies, c.1818.
Enlisted into the 88th Foot (Connaught Rangers) at Dublin on the 24th of February 1832, a volunteer from theRoyal Hibernian School, Dublin, but he did not join the Depot Companies at Landguard Fort, near Harwich, Suffolk, until the 28th of April.
No information about his time at the school is now extant, most of the records pertaining to the School having been destroyed by enemy action during World War Two. His Regimental number was 728.
Age 14 years 2 months.
Height: 5' 4".
Trade: None.
Features: Sallow complexion. Grey eyes, Brown hair.
[PB: Is it possible SK black or mixed race? I dimly recall a discussion in the CrimeanWar group about the meaning of "sallow".]
Attained the age of 15 years and on to "Man's Pay" from the 23rd of December 1832.
Appointed to Drummer: 1st of November 1836.
Transferred (as a Private and to go to the Band) to the 17th Lancers on the 31st of May 1838.
Sent to Scutari on the 15th of December 1854 and 1nvalided to England from the Crimea on the 26th of February 1855 and is later shown on the Depot roll at Brighton.
Rejoined the regiment at Cahir on the 1st of June 1856.
Letter relating to him, and another man from the regiment sent to the Military College, Sandhurst:
"Horse Guards,
9th January 1857.
Sir, — By the desire of the General Commanding-in-Chief I have the honour to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the 26th ultimo and to acquaint you that His Royal Highness has been pleased to select the men named in the margin for the Riding Troop about to be formed at the Military College, at Sandhurst and to request you that you will hold them in readiness to proceed to Sandhurst early in the ensuing weeks according to the route which you will receive from the QuarterMasters Department.
I am, etc. etc.
G.A. Weatherall,
DAG."
Similar letters were sent to the Officers Commanding the 4th Light Dragoons, 8th Hussars, 11th Hussars, and the 13th Light Dragoons, listing the names of the men selected.
Shown on the Depot roll at Canterbury (when the regiment went to India for the Mutiny campaign) from the 1st of October 1857.
From Private to Corporal: (as L/Sergeant) 1st of August 1858.
Discharged from Canterbury on the 7th of February 1860, "Having completed 24 years service, and at his own request."
Served 24 years 31 days, to count.
In Turkey and the Crimea: 11 months.
Conduct and character: "very good." In possession of five Good Conduct badges.
Never entered in the Regimental Defaulters' book. Never tried by Court-martial.
Aged 42 years on discharge.
Next of kin: Wife, Mary Kennedy. At the time of his discharge they had three children, aged 5 years, 2 years, and 7 months.
Entitled to the Crimean medal with clasps for Alma, Balaclava, Inkerman, Sebastopol, and the Turkish medal.
Documents confirm the award of the Crimean medal with four clasps, the Turkish medal and the Long Service & Good Conduct medal with a gratuity.
Awarded the Long Service & Good Conduct medal on the 30th of January 1857, with a gratuity of £5. This medal was sent to the Commandant of the Royal Military College at Sandhurst.
A "Sergeant Kennedy" was shown as being present at the first Balaclava Banquet in 1875 and and an "S. Kennedy" was shown as being a member of the Balaclava Commemoration Society in 1877, but not on the 1879 revised list, as he died on 26th September 1879.
To reside, C/o. Mr. Watson, The Market Square, Waltham Abbey, West Essex on discharge.
1861 Census
18, Green Yard West Side, Waltham Holy Cross.
Stephen Kennedy, 42, Labourer & Chelsea Pensioner, born Woolwich.
Mary, 32.
Three children shown: Sarah 6, Louisa 3, Catherine 2.
1871 Census
31, Grove Road, Enfield.
Stephen Kennedy, 52, Pensioner.
Mary, 42.
Four children shown: Sarah 16, Catherine 12, Mary Ann 9, Joseph 5.
Died on the 26th of September 1879.
In 1987 a former member of the regiment wrote to the then-Regimental Secretary telling him of a friend whose great-grandfather had taken part in the Charge. He enclosed a copy of a death and funeral report which had been reprinted under a "Fifty Years Ago" heading and also details of the menu offered at the Balaclava Banquet of 1875, which he hoped would interest those attending the forthcoming Regimental Dinner.
This recorded death was that of Stephen Kennedy who died at the Middlesex Hospital, London, of "Cancer of the tongue" on the 26th of September 1879. He was then shown as being 60 years of age, an "Army Pensioner and Storekeeper at the Enfield Rifle Factory." His son, George Kennedy, of 60, Ebury Street, Pimlico, was present at, and the informant of his death.
He was buried in the churchyard of St. James's Church, Enfield Highway, London, The actual area of this is quite small and has now been absorbed into an adjoining Council-owned Cemetery. A search has failed to find any stone for him. (See photograph of the churchyard and the church itself in the 17th Lancer file, and a copy of his death certificate in the "Certificates" file.)
Copy of the original newspaper reprint [unknown source]:
"While the 17th Lancers are in Africa adding to the laurels already won by them, Stephen Kennedy, one of their old comrades, whose share in the most spirit-stirring episodes in the annals of the British Army entitles him to a brief notice to record his gallantry, has quietly passed away. Kennedy entered the band of the 88th Regiment (Connaught Rangers) in 1832 at the early age of 13 years.
After a service of 7 years he was transferred to the 17th Lancers as a trumpeter and served in that very distinguished regiment for 21 years, retiring from the army on pension, with the rank of Lance-Sergeant in 1860.
Since then he has occupied a civil position in the Royal Small Arms Factory at Enfield Lock, but he has been more prominently noticeable by being bugle-major of the 41st Middlesex Rifle Volunteers, where his decorated breast at the head of the band would catch the eye.
This hero, for so he must be regarded, during his service with the "Death or Glory Boys" shared their fortunes in the Crimean campaign and with them and the remainder of gallant Six Hundred he took part in the deadly charge at Balaclava. The main particulars of this awful blunder are no doubt fresh in the memories of most people but the heroism, gallantry and noble devotion of the brave men who obeyed, though they knew well that obedience meant certain death, form a theme which should be handed down to posterity with national, though sorrowful pride.
Bugle-Major Kennedy was justly proud of the part he bore on the fateful day. His three medals testified to the justice of his feelings. One was for the Turkish phase of the war, one for the Crimea and the third was for long service and good conduct. His health had failed much latterly; no doubt the privations of the Crimean campaign told on his constitution. He was seized with a very painful disease and died on the 26th of September, aged 60 years, and within a very short time of completing 47 years service to his country.
The funeral, which took place at Enfield Highway on the 1st inst., was at his relative's request of a private nature, although the honour of a military funeral was offered to the family by the officers commanding the 41st Rifles.
The burial service was most impressively rendered by the Revd. Harman, M.A., the vicar of St. James's, Enfield Highway, chaplain of the Royal Small Arms factory and honorary chaplain of the 41st Middlesex Volunteers. The scene at the grave was very affecting, many being moved to tears. Besides the members of the deceased's family present, Lieutenant Williams attended on behalf of the officers of the Volunteers and Sergeant Instructor Searle represented the non-commissioned officers and men."
Census information for 1861 & 1871 kindly provided by Chris Poole.
On 22.2.1002 a Mark Hawes posted a query about Stephen Kennedy on Genealogy.com's GenForum:
Looking for any info on Stephen Kennedy b.1819.
He joined the band of the 88th Regiment The Connaught Rangers aged 13 and transferred aged 20 as a trumpeter to the 17th Lancers in 1839. He served in 17th Lancers for 21yrs, retiring as a lance-sergeant in 1860.
He then took on a civil position at the Royal Small Arms Factory in Enfield, North London and also acted as Bugle-major with the 41st Middlesex Volunteer Rifles.
He married twice. 1st wife unknown. His 2nd wife was Mary Carley, daughter of Cornelius Carley. Stephen Kennedy married her at St. Mary Magdalene Church Woolwich in 1851. Both Cornelius Carley & Stephen's father — also called Stephen, were in the Royal Artillery (Woolwich Garrison). Stephen Kennedy Jnr died in 1879 in Enfield.
An old newspaper obituary describes much of the information above and also mentions how Stephen was one of the few survivors from the Charge of the Light Brigade at Balaclava.
Children of Stephen & Mary include Sarah (1854), Mary Ann (1863), Joseph Alexander (1866) and my Gt Grandmother, Catherine 1859. Catherine went on to marry Alfred Argent, a worker at the Royal Small Arms factory and have 15 children. Any info gratefully received.
[Source:http://genforum.genealogy.com/crimeanwar/messages/2.html (accessed 17.1.2014).]